Queen Elizabeth II celebrates 70 years of reign in private

(London) Praised for her “remarkable achievement” by her son Charles, Queen Elizabeth II on Sunday became the first British monarch to reach 70 years of reign, preparing for the future with the wish that the wife of the crown prince, Camilla , became queen consort after his death.

In a message published on the occasion of her Platinum Jubilee, the 95-year-old sovereign renewed her commitment to serve the British while creating a surprise with this strong support for her daughter-in-law, from Sandringham where she traditionally celebrates this day. private birthday.

Shaping the future of the monarchy, she expresses her “sincere wish” that Camilla, 74, second wife of Crown Prince Charles, whose mistress she was during her marriage to Princess Diana and long unloved by the British, “either known as the queen consort” when he becomes king.

Calling on Britons to support the couple in their future roles, the Queen ends years of controversy over the title of the Duchess of Cornwall, who some say should instead be known as a ‘princess’ consort due to the sensitivity of the subject after the death of the popular Diana.

In a statement, Charles, 73, said he and “his dear wife” Camilla, his “unwavering support”, were “fully aware of this honour”. And praised his mother’s “remarkable achievement” and her admirable “dedication”.

Camilla, “a good queen”

This announcement was received rather favorably by the public. Interviewed in London by AFP, Alice Tomlinson, 25, who works in marketing, believes that Camilla will be “a good queen”, even if according to her, “there will always be this shadow of the past which will darken her reign and Charles’s.

Elizabeth II ascended the throne at the age of 25 on February 6, 1952, the same day her father, King George VI, to whom she was very attached, died of lung cancer at age 56. She has since crossed, imperturbable, times and crises.

However, she was not born to become queen, heiress to the Crown only since the unexpected accession to the throne of her father after the abdication, for love, of King Edward VIII in 1936.

“As we mark this anniversary, I am pleased to renew the pledge I made in 1947, that my life would be wholly devoted to your service,” she wrote in her hand-signed post. your servant Elizabeth R”.

Bittersweet, this February 6 is also her first anniversary of reign as a widow, after the death of her husband Prince Philip, who died in 2021 at the age of 99, and while the monarchy is going through a tormented period with accusations of sexual assault targeting his son Andrew.

“Steadfast Leadership”

A photograph released Sunday by Buckingham Palace shows the one who already held the record for longevity on the British throne since September 2015 sitting at Sandringham, smiling in a light green dress, working in front of her famous red box containing government documents.

In the background, a framed photo of George VI with a corgi, the sovereign’s favorite breed of small dogs.

Very popular, Elizabeth II has however largely withdrawn from public life since health problems in October, and two appearances before her Platinum Jubilee showed her frail or walking with a cane in hand.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has paid tribute to the Queen’s “unwavering dedication”.

Tributes have also come from abroad. Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada, of which Elizabeth II is head of state, hailed “unwavering leadership in times of change, difficulty or uncertainty”. For the White House, “it has strengthened the bonds of friendship, shared ideals and faith in democracy” uniting the United Kingdom and the United States.

Commemorative coins were minted and eight stamps issued, depicting her at different times during her reign. On Monday, cannons will be fired in the center of the capital.

Contrasting with these discreet tributes, four days of festivities are planned from June 2 (the day of his coronation in 1953) to June 5, with a military parade, a large concert and thousands of popular lunches.